Songfacts®:

• In 1983, Mark Knopfler wrote and recorded "Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero" for the quirky, UK film Local Hero. Four decades later, the sultan of guitar had the idea of re-recording the song for charity. He assembled a guitar army comprising over 60 axe heroes for a charity single to benefit the Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America.
• So, who answered Knopfler's call to shred some chords for charity? We're talking royalty like Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, the Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood, Slash from Guns N' Roses – the list goes on longer than a tax form! Joan Armatrading's there, Albert Lee's there, Eric Clapton even dusted off his axe for this one.
  
  But wait, there's more! Bruce Springsteen lent his licks, Pete Townshend from The Who's threw his hat (and presumably his trusty Gibson) into the ring. Nile Rodgers, Joan Jett, even Queen's Brian May – they're all here to shred for a good cause. Let's not forget the godfather of heavy himself, Tony Iommi from Black Sabbath, or Joe Walsh from the Eagles – these are the guys who practically invented the power chord, and now they're putting it to good use.
  
  And the cherry on top? The late, great Jeff Beck – a true guitar icon if ever there was one – laid down a scorching opening solo before his untimely passing in January 2023. Talk about a sendoff!
• Joining the shred-fest are some other musical legends. We've got Ringo Starr, the Beatle himself, keeping the beat alongside his son Zak Starkey on drums. Sting laid down the bass, and Roger Daltrey, The Who's frontman (who not long previously hung up his curator hat for the Teenage Cancer Trust gigs), added some soulful harmonica to the mix.
• Former Dire Straits keyboardist Guy Fletcher manned the producer's chair, keeping things shipshape.
• The recording kicked off at British Grove Studios with Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, and Albert Lee.
  
  "It hit Guy and I quite early on that we had to extend this piece somehow, to take in the number of people who joined in," recalled Knopfler. "Before I knew where I was, Pete Townshend had come into my studio armed with a guitar and an amp. And that first Pete power chord... man, I tell you. We were in that territory, and it was just fantastic. And it went on from there. Eric came in, played great, just one tasty lick after another. Then Jeff Beck's contribution arrived and that was spellbinding. I think what we've had is an embarrassment of riches, really. The whole thing was a high point."
• The music video for "Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero" puts a spotlight on the collaborative spirit of the charity single. Animated by the Electric Theatre Collective, it uses a creative approach to credit the musicians. As the music unfolds, the video displays the names of each artist alongside their contributions. This is intertwined with dynamic music-themed visuals. For example, when Tom Morello unleashes his signature guitar solo around the eight-minute mark, the animation explodes with a metaphorical guitar smash.